Zambia disregards court order, deports Tendai Biti to Zimbabwe

Tendai Biti is accused of pre-empting the official election results and inciting protests – Photo by AFP

The Zambian Government has handed over opposition MDC lawmaker Tendai Biti to the Zimbabwean authorities in total disregard of a High Court Order granted to Biti last night.

According to Biti’s legal team, the Zambian immigration office handed the opposition leader over at 06:00 hours this morning despite being served with a court order at 04:00 hours today.

Lusaka High Court Judge Gertrude Chawatama signed the order against the immigration department’s attempt to deport Biti.

“Contrary to the law and a Court order. And even assuming it was a deportation, which it was not, the law is clear that a deportee can choose a country of his choice to which he can be deported but in this case he was denied that right,” Biti’s legal team said.

“The whole thing just smells of illegality and extra judicial behavior by Zambian authorities. It is also a breach of international law.”

Biti was accompanied across the border by a horde of heavily armed Zambian police officers and the legal team is currently making frantic efforts to establish his exact whereabouts.

Meanwhile,the team is expected to appear before Judge Pixie Yangailo in the wake of the latest developments.